Pentagon Plans Public Firing Squad Execution for Fort Hood Gunman
Goldlaner.com – Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says the planned execution of Nidal Hasan, the former Army major convicted of killing 13 people at Fort Hood in 2009, will be open to public viewing and livestreamed. The execution is scheduled for December 3 at Fort Hood and would mark the first firing squad execution conducted by the US Army since World War II.
Hasan was found guilty in July 2013 on 13 charges of premeditated murder and 32 charges of attempted murder for the attack at the Texas military installation. The shooting remains one of the deadliest acts of violence against US service members on a domestic military base.
Execution Set for December 3
Acting Secretary of the Army Adam Telle has set the execution for 2 p.m. Eastern time, or 1 p.m. Central time, at Fort Hood. The Pentagon announced Monday evening that Hasan would be put to death by firing squad after Hegseth recommended the method and President Donald Trump approved it.
During an interview Wednesday aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, Hegseth said the event would be deliberately visible.
“We’ll make sure that people are able to watch it, that it’s public, because people need to understand that there’s serious consequences for these types of things.”
A Pentagon official said Thursday that the execution will be livestreamed, though further details about access, viewing arrangements, or the format of the broadcast were not provided. Earlier in the day, questions about how the execution would be made public had been directed to the Army.
Hegseth also described the planned timing and the personnel expected to carry it out, saying the execution would occur on a Thursday at 1 o’clock, matching the Central time when the attack began, with soldiers using rifles as the firing squad.
A 2009 Attack at Fort Hood
On November 5, 2009, Hasan opened fire at Fort Hood’s medical processing center, where troops were receiving medical evaluations before deployment. Prosecutors established that he first targeted people inside the center, then pursued soldiers as they attempted to escape through a rear exit.
Police confronted Hasan after the shooting began. He exchanged gunfire with officers and was ultimately struck. The attack left 13 people dead and 32 others wounded.
At his court-martial, Hasan told a panel of 13 officers that he had selected soldiers who were preparing to deploy to Afghanistan. He said they were going to participate in what he characterized as an illegal war. The military jury convicted him in July 2013 and imposed a death sentence.
The case has remained significant not only because of the scale of the attack, but because it occurred at a site intended to prepare military personnel for overseas service. The medical processing center was a place where troops and others expected to complete routine pre-deployment requirements, making the violence especially jarring for the Fort Hood community.
Return of an Army Firing Squad Execution
If carried out as planned, Hasan’s execution would be the Army’s first firing squad execution since World War II. The method gives the case added historical weight, since military executions have become exceptionally rare in the decades since the war.
Hegseth framed the decision in terms of deterrence and military resolve. In the interview, he praised what he described as the outlook of the World War II era.
“I like the mentality we had in World War II, which was win. Which was understand when the enemy attacks you, you stand your ground.”
The planned public nature of the execution also sets it apart. Officials have said it will be livestreamed, but important practical questions remain unresolved, including who may view the event and what restrictions will govern its broadcast. Those details could shape how the military balances transparency, security, and the dignity of the victims and their families.
For relatives of those killed and for survivors of the attack, the scheduled execution represents another major point in a case that has extended for nearly 17 years. The December 3 date puts the event at the same base where the shootings occurred, linking the planned punishment directly to the community that endured the attack.
Hasan’s execution has been scheduled for 1 p.m. Central time at Fort Hood. The Pentagon has identified a firing squad as the approved method, and officials have indicated that the public will be able to watch through a livestream.
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